In the assembly of a vehicle, the fitting of a door to the vehicle frame is generally one of the most labor intensive and time consuming operations. This is due to the necessity of performing a number of intricate, manipulative operations in assembling the window glass and window glass operating mechanism, and the door latch and latch operating mechanism, to a generally hollow door, i.e. a door shell, after the door has been fitted and mounted to the vehicle door frame. In almost all cases, the door is mounted to the door frame by hinges which are attached to one edge of the door shell. Often times, the window and latch mechanisms also include electric motors, electric actuators and associated wiring. Regardless of whether the vehicle door is formed of a metal, a plastic material, or a combination of metal and plastic, the window glass, window glass operating mechanism, door latch and latch operating mechanisms, electric motors, actuators, and associated wiring (all of which are hereinafter generally called "the window and latch components") are generally assembled in a space or cavity between a pair of inner and outer panels which comprise the door shell. Modern vehicles conventionally also include a decorative inner finish or trim panel overlying the inner door panel. In some instances the trim panel is omitted from the door until the door is fitted and mounted to the vehicle door frame and the window and latch components are installed. Thereafter, the trim panel may be fitted to the inner door panel after which the operating levers, cranks, and switches are connected to their respective operating mechanisms and wires.
In other current door assembly operations a hollow door may be fitted with a side impact resistant beam to better provide protection for the vehicle occupants against transversely applied impacts. The presence of such a beam increases the difficulty of installing the window and latch components in the narrow space between the inner and outer door-forming panels. In such manual installations, the installer must utilize relatively small openings provided in the inner panel to effect mounting and wiring of the various window and latch components. Thereafter, the inner trim panel is mounted on the inner door panel and the operating cranks, levers, and/or switches are installed in a final assembly operation.
Regardless of the methods currently used to assemble a door on a vehicle and to incorporate in such a door a side impact resistant beam and window and latch components, the manual assembly of all of these components into a door is often laborious, time consuming, and may even result in injury to the hands and arms of the assembler due to the movement of their hands and arms through the openings in the inner panel, which exposes the hands and arms to the sharp edges of the panel openings.